Dear Reader,
Today marks the six year anniversary of this blog. Except for a two and a half month sabbatical last year, I have continued to experience an ever-evolving satisfying retirement journey on these pages.
742 published posts or about 500,000 words, well over 2 million page views, nearly 16,000 published comments (and probably 7,000 that never saw the light of day) - and I still look forward to sitting in front of the keyboard most mornings.
A year ago I began to burn out on writing about the same topic. After all, how many times can the same subjects be covered? Well, the answer seems to be for quite a long time. With a bit of a broader topic focus on my retirement journey, I have been able to continue to find new things to write about, or a fresh perspective on an ever-popular subject. I have found that a lot of my daily reading brings me a new idea for a post that might be interesting to you.
As has been true since day one, the posts I think will generate the most comments often don't. The ones I sort of dash off in 20 minutes, do. All that proves to me your interests are as varied as retirement is exciting and fulfilling. As long as that is true I plan on continuing.
Again, thank you, loyal readers. I write for my creative satisfaction. But, if all these words did not continue to provide a service to others, and generate readership and comments, I would likely take up a new pursuit.
Since that is not the case, please make time in your day to read and react when you see a new post. If you are so motivated I would appreciate your "like" on the Satisfying Retirement Journey Facebook page and a follow on Twitter. Both tasks can be accomplished by clicking the links found near the top of the right sidebar. They are my only real promotional opportunities that fit a budget of close to zero!
Have a great day. My love and gratitude to you,
Bob
Congratulations Bob... Your comment " I have found that a lot of my daily reading brings me a new ideas..." is the core for my blog over at RJsCorner and comes from Will Rogers whose famous quote "All I know is what I read in the newspapers" This approach allowed him to write literally thousands of "Daily Telegrams" articles read by over 40 million people.
ReplyDeleteI do enjoy the increased diversity of your posts in the last year. It lets me know a little more about Bob the person. Also thank you for continuing to give me space in your "Blogs I Read & Enjoy" Column. While I don't have nearly the views you do I get a good portion of my reader count coming directly from your blog... Thanks for that...
When I write something with a little bit of an edge, I always wonder "what will RJ think of this!" Your intellect keeps me on my toes and honest in my opinions. We agree more often than not, but when our views are different, we trust that there will be respect of the other's view while engaging in healthy skepticism.
DeleteWe have a long RV journey this fall planned to take us near southern Indiana. Maybe a detour to finally meet you would be a fascinating side trip!
Thanks for the compliments Bob, they mean much to me.
DeleteYou are welcome to visit anytime. I would really love to meet you and your lovely wife in person. I keep a sign language interpreter on staff 24 hours a day; she is known as my wife.. (ha). I don't know what I would do without her..
Wow, 6 years! What a wonderful opportunity for you, and for your readers! There is something very powerful in writing words that you know others will be reading and appreciating.
ReplyDeleteI'm still pretty new in the blogosphere, but the rewards have been many so far. Your blogging experiences inspired me to start my own, and I continue to look to you as the "master" in the field.
One of the reasons I think that your blog is so popular is because you resonate with your readers. You have the same concerns that many of us do and are able to create a blog post that connects with folks on these very issues.
I admire you ability to handle difficult and potentially controversial topics with civility and fairness. Too often that is a lost art in this electronic world.
Congratulations, and here's to many, many more years!
Thanks so much, Carole. I will be quite honest: I have to restrain myself quite a bit on those rare occasions I take on a hot button issue. But, I know that my adding fuel to the fire won't cause anyone to open their minds, it will just cause a bigger fire. So, I bite my tongue and try to keep things civil, treating others the way I would want to be treated. So far, so good.
DeleteI have just added your blog to my blogroll. I like your writing style.
Thanks for the blogroll listing Bob! And a very special Happy Anniversary to both of you. Wedding anniversaries are a fun time to reflect. Would we have ever guessed in a million years where we would be now in life? It's amazing how one of the gifts of aging is to be able to prioritize what is really important in life.
DeleteI thoroughly enjoy your posts! All of them are enjoyable and informative. I especially enjoyed your road trip last year to Wisconsin. We travel in an old Jaguar " saloon" (4 door sedan) and we have a thick mattress pad in the back seat, with some blankets ( as needed ) for my wife to sleep on, or read on as the case may be. We stay at motels at the same price you are charged to park your RV and eat at 1 restaurant per day and use our picnic basket for anything else.
ReplyDeleteHowever, we are ready to travel on a moments urge!
Please keep up your good work and health. Love your opinions on everything! You are certainly entitled to a "sabbatical" from your type- writer but please do not stop the columns. They are a joy to read and as I see by your comments listing a lot of people feel as I do.
Keep up the good work. We ALL look forward to your postings.
Thank you, Jack. Your support means a lot. I plan to continue writing for as long as I have something to say and readers to read it!
DeleteIt's been six and a half years for me. Hard to believe, for sure. I'm nowhere near as organized as you are and yet people keep reading and that is very satisfying. Cheers to another six!
ReplyDeleteb
Today is also our 40th wedding anniversary...two important events today!
DeleteKeep it up, Bob. Many of us look forward to your new missives, and often refer back to prior ones as well. And congratulations on the 40th wedding anniversary; you have us beat by three clicks. Quite the milestone in today's world.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Chuck. Best wishes to you and Deb on your commitment to each other, too.
DeleteCongratulations on your blog's sixth birthday and your and Betty's 40th. May God bless you with many more anniversaries!
ReplyDeleteBetty and I wonder if we will be lucky enough to match my parents' 63 years together. If I hold it together until I am 90, then I guess we have a shot!
DeleteHappy Blog Anniversary! While I understood your need to take a sabbatical last year, I was glad to find that you had returned. Happy Anniversary, too!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Linda. We are taking a 2 month long RV trip in September and October but I plan on posting from the road, so no sabbatical this year.
DeleteSix years is a long time! Way to go!
ReplyDeleteWhen I can't think of what to write about it feels longer, and other days more like I just began. What is really hard to grasp is 40 years of marriage. My bride was just 21 when we got engaged!
DeleteHappy Anniversary and may you have many more wonderful years. I am retired six years and am grateful that I found your blog to help guide me. You always give me something to think about.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Donna, and my appreciation for your readership.
DeleteI was laid off five years ago, and thus began retirement. Your blog was the first one I discovered while trying to navigate this new stage of life. I wasn't a fan of retirement as my husband was still working. He finally got to retire about 18 months ago and now our retirement is fun and relaxing. Just bought a Park Model in Mesa, and this will be our first year of being snowbirds! Another journey together.
ReplyDeleteWe're celebrating our 46th anniversary in a couple weeks, and my parents just celebrated their 70th. They are both in a nursing home and this is the first time we won't be within 30 minutes of them. Could be interesting!
So, congratulations on your anniversary and thank you for sharing your retirement thoughts with us.
Congrats right back to you for 46 years together.
DeleteWe have a few friends with Park Models who love them during the winter. Enjoy Mesa. You will be about 25 minutes from us. After 30 years in Scottsdale we are loving the East Valley.
Congratulations and keep up the great work!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Meryl.
DeleteCongrats to 2 wonderful accomplishments....I found your blog 4 years ago and have enjoyed ever since. So glad you came back!
ReplyDeleteCheers...Robin
Thank you!
DeleteI would like to offer my congratulations to both Betty and yourself on both of your anniversaries yesterday. And I would like to offer my thanks for your continuing writing of Satisfying Journey. Diana and I read each new post and we look forward to many more. When you announced your sabbatical last year I for one was saddened but I understood the need to step back and reflect. When you returned I was pleased and thankful.
ReplyDeleteAs it happens June 26 is also an anniversary for Diana and I too; it marks the one year date of our retirement. It has been a fabulous year and we would both like to thank you for the thoughtful and encouraging words that you write. These words I am sure have played a part in many a Satisfying Journey.
Thank you, Peter. I am happy this blog has provided you and your wife support and encouragement on the retirement journey you started one year ago. Happy retirement anniversary!
DeleteBob, Your many words of wisdom helped me bridge the transition to retirement. Retirement? It's a time of renewal, discovery and having time not to be rushing off somewhere and finding your pace and rhythm in each moment in life.
ReplyDeleteThank You many times over for your dedication and sharing of stories, and the stories of many others in our Satisfying Journey!
Words like yours, Russ, are why I keep writing. We are on this journey together. Sharing makes it better for all of us.
DeleteBob, I've been following your blog for several years now, on your distribution list for the past 2. I can't wait to read your observations on life and find them to be interesting and enlightening. It's much like having a friend to sit and mull things over with. So, please know that your blog most definitely fills an important niche!
ReplyDeleteregards,
Another Bob;-)
what a great name...Bob! Thanks for the compliments and readership. Too bad I can't figure out a way to have a virtual coffee with everyone. That would be fun.
DeleteMy husband and I have been retired for a little over 2 years, and we have been enjoying your blog for over five. Thank you for sharing your journey. You have really enriched ours!
ReplyDeleteThank you for the long time readership. I wish you the very best during this exciting stage of life.
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